Endeavour Lifts Off
In a rare night launch, space shuttle Endeavour has lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center taking a Canadian-built robot and the first section of a Japanese science laboratory into space. The mission is planned to last an unheard-of 16 days, the longest ever.
Thrust in the form of translucent blue and bright yellow fire ignited a light show over NASA's Kennedy Space Center when Endeavour roared off the launch pad at 2:28 a.m. EDT on March 11.
The first module of the Japanese-built Kibo laboratory complex was packed inside Endeavour's cargo bay, along with a Canadian-built robotics system that will enhance the capabilities of the International Space Station's robotic arm.
The pressurized logistics module for the Kibo complex represents the first manned spacecraft for Japan.
"With this flight, I believe we fully became a real partner in the International Space Station project," said Keiji Tachikawa, president of JAXA, the Japanese space agency.
Dextre is the robotics system that Endeavour lofted into orbit. With it, Canada is making a literal extension to what the nation already built. Canada built both the space shuttle robot arm and the robotic arm used on the International Space Station.
I had the disconcerting pleasure of watching a night launch of a shuttle - from Orlando, Florida - some years back. It is absolutely amazing to be that far away from the launch and yet still see the rockets trail of fire quite clearly.
By Lars Walker, Tuesday, 11 March , 2008 @ 1:30 pm
I used to see the launches when I lived on the FL east coast. The night ones are quite a show.
By chuck, Tuesday, 11 March , 2008 @ 8:01 pm
The only launch I’ve seen was a night launch, STS-61B. A friend of mine was one of the crew and had invited a bunch of us to the launch.